THE DEATH OF JOSEPH.

"It ſal," quað he, "ben ſoð, bi-foren
ðat god hað ure eldere ſworen;
He ſal gu leden in hiſ hond
2508 Heðen to ðat hotene lond;
for godeſ luue get bid ic gu,
Leſted it ðanne, hoteð it nu,
and told them of God's promise to their elders.
ðat mine bene ne be for-loren,
2512 wið gu ben mine bones boren."
He it him gatten and wurð he dead,
God do ðe ſoule ſeli red!
He asks them to bear his bones with them, when they leave Egypt.
Hiſe liche waſ ſpice-like maked,
2516 And longe egipte-like waked,
And ðo biried hem bi-foren,
And ſiðen late of londe boren.
Hiſe oðre breðere, on and on,
2520 Woren ybiried at ebron.
The death of Joseph.
An her endede to ful, in wiſ,
ðe boc ðe iſ hoten geneſis,
ðe moyſes, ðurg godes red,
2524 Wrot for lefful ſoules ned.
Here endeth the book called Genesis, written by Moses, through God's counsel.
God ſchilde hiſe ſowle fro helle bale,
ðe made it ðus on engel tale!
And he ðat ðiſe lettres wrot,
 [Fol. 49b.]
God shield his soul from hell-bale, who translated it into English!
2528 God him helpe weli mot,
And berge iſ ſowle fro ſorge & grot
Of helle pine, cold & hot!
And alle men, ðe it heren wilen,[[236]]
May God help and protect him from hell-pain, cold and hot!
2532 God leue hem in hiſ bliſſe ſpilen
Among engeles & ſeli men,
Wiðuten ende in reſte ben,
And luue & pais uſ bi-twen,
2536 And god ſo graunte, amen, ameN!
And all men who will hear it, God grant that they may dwell in bliss among angels for ever!

[236]

MS. welin.